Funding for transit

Looking for funding for a community transportation service or coordination effort? Check out these federal, state, foundation and other funding opportunities.

Federal Grants

SUMMARY:

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for $25,000,000 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 funding under the Route Planning Restoration Program (Federal Assistance Listing: 20.505). As required by Federal public transportation law and subject to funding availability, funds will be awarded competitively to support planning designed to (i) increase ridership and reduce travel times, while maintaining or expanding the total level of vehicle revenue miles of service provided in the planning period; or (ii) make service adjustments to increase the quality or frequency of service provided to low-income riders and disadvantaged neighborhoods or communities. FTA may award additional funding that is made available to the program prior to the announcement of project selections.

DATES:

Complete proposals must be submitted through the GRANTS.GOV “APPLY” function by 11:59 p.m. EDT November 15, 2021. Prospective applicants should initiate the process by registering on the GRANTS.GOV website promptly to ensure completion of registration before the submission deadline. Instructions for applying can be found on FTA's website at https://www.transit.dot.gov/​howtoapply and in the “FIND” module of GRANTS.GOV. The GRANTS.GOVfunding opportunity ID is FTA-2021-007-TPE. Mail and fax submissions will not be accepted.

Eligible Applicants

Applicants must be eligible recipients under Section 5307 of Title 49, United States Code (FTA's Urbanized Area Formula Grants program), as of the publication date of this NOFO on GRANTS.GOV.

Additionally, applicants must have experienced a reduction in transit service any time on or after January 20, 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here to view grant opportunity

On Tuesday, September 7, FTA announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $2.2 billion in discretionary grant funding for transit systems demonstrating additional pandemic-associated needs.

Additional Assistance Funding will be awarded to transit systems demonstrating additional assistance is needed to cover operating expenses related to maintaining day-to-day operations, cleaning and sanitization, combating the spread of pathogens on transit systems and maintaining critical staffing levels.

Press Release | NOFO Information

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of approximately $409.59 million of Fiscal Year 2021 funds for buses, bus facilities, and bus equipment. Synopses and full announcement will be posted on Grants.gov as opportunity FTA-2021-008-BUS.

Proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov website by 11:59 PM Eastern Time November 19, 2021.

Click here to learn more

Tribal Grants

Other Grants

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) provides additional federal resources to AmeriCorps Seniors in order to assist communities in COVID-19 recovery. This funding will be made available throughout the United States, with a particular interest in programs that will serve communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through American Rescue SDP funding opportunities, applicants must demonstrate how they will engage adults age 55 and over to address one or more of the American Rescue SDP priorities. Those priorities are:

  • Establish and support programs in hard-to-reach communities and/or those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19;
  • Support communities historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely impacted by persistent poverty and inequality, such as African American, Hispanic, and Tribal communities;
  • Support program models that focus on:
    o Education (children’s learning loss, summer programs, etc.) and o Health and wellness (mental and physical health);
  • Serve veterans and military families; and
  • Expand opportunities for senior volunteers in communities that have not previously

    received AmeriCorps Seniors resources.

    The following non-federal entities (all of which are defined in 2 CFR 200.1 are eligible to apply: • Tribal communities
    • Institutions of higher education
    • Local governments

    • Nonprofit organizations

    • States governments

    In addition to Tribal communities as defined in 2 CFR 200.1, Tribal organizations that are controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by federally recognized Indian tribes are also eligible to apply.

    Click here to view the grant webpage.

Important dates

  • Applications are due Monday, October 18, 2021 by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
  • Successful applicants will be notified by March 31, 2022
  • Successful applicants will be issued awards by March 31, 2022
  • Has your community-based team developed an innovative transportation solution that improves the ability of low-income community members to become more fully engaged in economic opportunities, improve their health and well-being, and/or become more integrated into their community?
  • Has your team followed the human-centered design process in the development and testing of that solution to ensure that it will have the highest potential of success?
  • Does your team have a high degree of confidence that the solution will effectively serve customers’ needs, be operationally feasible, and be financially sustainable?
  • Has your team developed a detailed operations plan for its solution and now is looking for funding and guidance as it implements a pilot of that solution?

If your community can answer yes to these questions, then you are invited to apply for the National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM)’s Community Mobility Ready-to-Launch Grants 2021. Each grant of up to $75,000 will fund the pilot phase of an already designed solution to allow low-income community members to become more fully engaged in economic opportunities, improve their health and well-being, and/or become more integrated into their community. The Ready-to-Launch grants are supported with funding from the Federal Transit Administration.

Eligibility

The applicant organization must be a non-profit or a government agency that is able to receive, or be a subrecipient of, federal funding. Note that teams should be entering into the grant having already completed a human-centered design process to arrive at the solution being piloted. This grant cannot be used for a service that is already operating.

Application Timeline

August 23                   RFP Released

October 1                   Questions due by 11:59 pm EDT

October 15                 Applications due by 11:59 pm EDT

Click here for RFP and more information

Technology Grants

Foundation Funding Opportunities

Does your transit route include the community Walmart store? Many transit agencies across the nation go through the Walmart Foundation for local match funds.

Visit The Walmart Foundation website here.

Telligen Community Initiative has a commitment to the health of our communities. They fund programs and nonprofits that address social determinants that impact health and enhance equity, that are making healthcare education more accessible, and that are fostering innovation.

Visit the Telligen website by clicking here.

The due dates for The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation grants: January 15 and July 15. Applications received after a due date are held until the next eligible meeting.

Foundation grants available by application are limited to two geographic areas:  the state of Oklahoma, with preference given to the greater Tulsa area.

Visit the website by clicking here.

SOMF provides funds to support healthcare, education, and other community needs. The deadlines for returning the completed grant application — are:

  • March 1
  • June 1
  • September 1
  • December 1

Funding decisions are made by the Board of Trustees approximately eight weeks following the grant application deadline.

Visit the website and apply by clicking here.

Geographic areas of funding are limited to the Greater Tulsa area with preference to the City of Tulsa

Deadlines

  • The Trustees of The Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation meet in June and November of each year to consider grant applications.
  • The deadline for submission of grant applications is April 1st for the June meeting and September 1st for the November meeting. We should receive the application in our office no later than the stated deadlines (not postmark date).
  • Organizations who submit eligible grant applications will be notified of the decision of the board within 3 weeks after the board meeting.
  • No late applications will be accepted.

Visit the website for more information- click here

The Gelvin Foundation is limited by policy to the support of non-profit organizations principally in Oklahoma, with emphasis given to organizations whose programs and services primarily benefit those living within a 30-mile radius of Tulsa or Eufaula.  To be eligible for consideration, an organization must have a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status or its equivalent with the Internal Revenue Service. Grant applications for individuals or political interests are not accepted, and applications for general support, debt reduction or continued support for the same programs are discouraged.

 

Grant proposals are evaluated by the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis in March, June, September and December.  All proposals received at least one month prior to the quarterly meeting will be considered, providing that all requested information has been provided. The following timetable will be used in scheduling proposals:

  • Received by February 10th —- will be evaluated in March
  • Received by May 10th —- will be evaluated in June
  • Received by August 10th —- will be evaluated in September
  • Received by October 10th —- will be evaluated in December

Click here to visit the Gelven Foundation website for more information

SMALL GRANTS ($10,000 OR LESS):    

  • REVIEWED MONTHLY
  • PLEASE ALLOW 60 DAYS FOR CONSIDERATION

LARGE GRANTS (OVER $10,000):

  • LETTERS OF INQUIRY DUE BY JUNE 1ST OR DECEMBER 1ST

GRANTEES ARE LIMITED TO ONE REQUEST PER YEAR. Click here to visit the Kirkpatrick Foundation website.

The Oklahoma City Community Foundation has a new grant opportunity. Attend the Services for the Elderly iFund Grant information meeting! If you are a charitable organization that provides direct services to the elderly, you don't want to miss out on our Services for the Elderly iFund grant opportunity!

The Services for the Elderly iFund program was designed to support organizations that provide direct services to the elderly (65+ years) which enable seniors to live independently in their homes. Other services for seniors include activities that promote wellness and recreational opportunities, thus encouraging health and reducing social isolation.

Friday, Sept. 10, 2021
Last day to register for Grant Information Meeting

Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021, 3 p.m.
Grant Information Meeting

Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021
Last day to publish GiveSmartOKC profile and request online access to application

Friday, Oct. 15, 2021
Grant Application Deadline

Click here to read more and to register for the upcoming grant information meeting.

 

COVID-19 Grant Opportunity for Community Based Organizations (CBO)

Trusted community members can help their communities reach herd immunity and get back to normal routine sooner. To help with the efforts, OSDH-Immunization Service is offering $20,000 grants to Community Based Organizations (CBOs). These CBOs can help improve vaccinations’ coverage and healthy equity across Oklahoma. Some examples are assisting in vaccine clinics, transportation, medical personnel holding local Q&A’s for their community, town halls, helping those in the rural areas of the state and much more.

The Community Based Organizations may include, but are not limited to:

  • Health Systems, Clinics, FQHCs, RHCs
  • Tribal Clinics
  • Public Health Partners (i.e. Quality Improvement organizations, Coalitions)
  • Transportation Providers
  • Educational Institutions
  • Faith based organizations
  • Physical and Mental Health Associations
  • Day Centers

Click here to learn more

OTA Grant Policy

For OTA grants:

Any grant awarded by the Oklahoma Transit Association is limited to 25% indirect costs.

OTA Members

Are you an OTA member and struggling with grant writing skills? Check out our calendar for upcoming training opportunities or contact us at oktransit@oktransit.org directly to request assistance.

Grant Writing Resources